Halo: Reach?

Do violent video games have a detrimental effect on our psyche?

Bob stands with his back to the wall, heart pounding, muscles taut, eyes straining to see through all the smoke and dust. Looking at his wrist-mounted satellite video feed, he can see the enemy regrouping just around the corner for the next attack. Of his original unit, one is dead, two missing, and the other two under sustained fire near the chopper.

His helmet monitor is blazing with red warning icons. His QCB powered armor system is losing effectiveness due to a battery pack leak, his MA37 assault rifle is running low on ammo, and a pair of XMF-31 assault aircraft will reach the zone in 41 seconds.

But he’s a SPARTAN- B312, a Noble Six commando, a hyper lethal soldier, and this is the stuff he eats for breakfast. (As a matter of fact, he will eat breakfast and head out to work as soon as he’s finished this battle, and he’s LATE!!) He pulls his visor down over his helmet and throws a M9 High-Explosive Dual-Purpose Grenade around the corner, charging out into the open parking lot, headed for the building at his ten o’clock.

Two Covenant fighters begin racing after him, plasma guns blazing. Bob lets the whole world go into slow-motion as he hurls himself into the air, slowly twisting around to face his enemies and shooting at them with everything he’s got. They both go down, blood spurting, writhing in pain, and he lets the world speed up again as he gives himself a blast of Turbo Boost and makes it into the building just seconds before the XMF-31 aircraft come screaming through the air, laying waste to the entire lot he just left behind.

Suddenly Bob feels a tap on the shoulder. Spinning around, expecting to see a Covenant android soldier with a Type-52 Special App Rifle pointed at him, he sees his mother.

“Hey, why are you still here? Weren’t you supposed to be at work an hour ago? And why are you still wearing the same clothes you were wearing last night? Did you pull another all-nighter playing video games?”

Man. There is no bigger hero killer than Mom. Here Bob was about to save the entire colony world of Reach (or at least finish one more of the 32 missions it takes to save the entire colony world of Reach) and she had to pull the whole clothes-you-wore-yesterday shtick. They just don’t get it.

Bungie studios released Halo:Reach on September 14, 2010 and by the end of the day had grossed over $200 million in sales. By the end of the first week, over 70 million online matches were logged, with players putting in roughly 6,000 years worth of time shooting at each other1, about the same amount of time as recorded human civilization. When they weren’t doing that, they uploaded over two million files and completed about 20 million daily challenges. And it wasn’t all for naught, as they earned a whopping 165 billion in credits to spend on new armor.

But even with all those numbers, it still wasn’t the most popular game of the week. That honor was given to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 which grossed $310 million in its first 24 hours.

The Halo games have been rated "Mature Only" by the Entertainment Software Rating Board for everything from Blood and Gore, to Language, Partial Nudity, and Violence. The more popular Call of Duty game is also rated Mature for Blood, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, and Language2. And this is not in small doses — the average gamer devours 18 hours of streaming violence, partial nudity, gore, language, and blood every week3.

What kind of effect do these games have on people?

Some say that it is harmless because gamers know that it is all just a game. They cite studies that show that apes differentiate between play fighting when they just tussle, and real fighting when they rip each other apart. This is proof that deep in the psyche there is a clear wall between real fighting and gaming. In addition, they point to dropping levels of violent crime all over the country despite the rise of violent games.

Others say that the intense violence is having a very detrimental effect on our youth (and not-so-youth – the average age of gamers is 32!). They cite a study in the March issue of Psychological Bulletin, a journal of the American Psychological Association, which shows that playing violent video games increases violent thinking, attitudes and behaviors among players4.

The Torah has an interesting mitzvah that might shed some light on this issue. There is a law in the Torah that says a person who inadvertently kills someone must flee to a City of Refuge. During Temple times, the Torah commanded all Jews to make pilgrimages to the Temple to be close to God during the holidays. Interestingly, the Torah also commands the Jewish people to put signposts at every crossroads directing inadvertent murders to the closest City of Refuge, but it does not command people to make signs to help pilgrims find their way to the Temple! Why are we helping the murderers but not the pilgrims?

The Sages explain that every interaction we have leaves an imprint on us. Even talking to a person who just murdered someone inadvertently could desensitize us. God didn’t want us to come into contact with murderers so He commanded that we make signage to help them along.

But having an interaction with someone going on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem could have a positive effect on people. So we don’t put up signs; instead we are encouraged to enter conversations with the people along the way.

If a two minute conversation giving directions to someone can impact our soul, how much more so would actions over a sustained period of time.

In Ethics of our Fathers, the Sages praise the mother of Rabbi Yehoshua, and credit her for some of his greatness. From the time he was a baby, she would park his carriage right next to a house of Torah study so that only words of holiness should go into his ears. On the flip side, children who grow up hearing swearing from adults and video games begin swearing at a much younger age, as a recent study by the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts indicates.5

Jewish teachings seem to indicate that violent video games have a detrimental effect on our psyche, and science seems to agree. Yet we still have a significant affinity toward them, and spend enormous sums of money and time on them.

Why is that? And what does that say about us?

Join the discussion in the comment section below with your thoughts, experiences and feelings on this important topic.

Featured at Aish.com:

About the Author

Leiby Burnham, CSW, is a rabbi, psychotherapist, and writer. He lives in Detroit with his wife, an ICU nurse, who is on strict orders to "leave her patients at work" and their three daughters, Orah, Shifra and Rachel. Rabbi Burnham works for the Jean and Theodore Weiss Partners in Torah program of Yeshiva Beth Yehudah, where he does community outreach, and runs a Jewish educational programs at University of Michigan, Wayne State, and Oakland University. He taught learning-disabled high school students for eight years in NYC, while receiving Rabbinical training at Shor Yoshuv Institute, and obtaining his Masters in Social Work from Yeshiva University.

The opinions expressed in the comment section are the personal views of the commenters. Comments are moderated, so please keep it civil.

Visitor Comments: 14

(14)
Ted Mowery,
June 16, 2011 1:50 PM

I agree... to some degree

This article does not take into account some of the positive interactions a person can have in games which offer mixed interactions - NOT ALL OF THEM VIOLENT.
For example in the games Fallout and Oblivion, there are a number of open-ended situations where a person could choose to do good or evil. I play these games and choose to do good.
Not all slaying is evil - although most is. We have documented evidence with the Tanakh that Shimson slew 1000 philistines with a jawbone. Hardly offered them tea and crumpits - now, did he?
So, I'd submit, that one some level - games are what you make of them. When I do play, I am not as much involved in the main storyline quests (some of which are well-written), but go out into the wilderness and eliminate evildoers and idol worshippers.
Just my perspective - I am a Noachide in the process of orthodox conversion. I expect to no longer use or play video games post-conversion, though. Jury is out on whether I intend to have Netflix or a smaller tv (to watch Jewish movies). As a convert, I didn't grow up in Jewish culture, so my understanding of it is limited.

(13)
Craig (Chaim),
November 12, 2010 5:04 PM

As for the matter of addiction...

Just so we're not mixing up the issues of addiction and violence, I would also just like to point out that people can still be addicted to video or computer games which don't have any such violence whatsoever.
Believe me, I've seen it first-hand in my own family... a certain member of my family (who shall remain nameless) was and probably still is obsessed with the basic computer games which probably come installed on your home computer, such as Solitare, Minesweeper, Tetris, etc. She would play them for hours, and she even got nasty with me when I politely asked her to get off the computer so I could do my homework. It didn't have the violence or whatever of "Halo", but it still made her mean and nasty.
Again, I am merely pointing out that game addiction and violence are not mutually exclusive. Let's not mix apples and oranges here, that's all I'm saying.

(12)
Elana,
November 1, 2010 12:51 AM

Video Games

All I can tell you is that from personal experience with my children (teen and pre teen) playing these games. They do get more violent after they play these games. They have started "pretend" fighting at home (that always gets out of hand); cursing more (it seems more acceptable to them because they hear it and all their friends are playing it, so why not, etc.) It is horrible. I put my foot down with connecting these games to the internet. No way, no how. Who knows who they will be connected to to play these games. Please, it is the worst thing because it does not give them the opportunity to read, or even go outside to play. Can you imagine? I have to yell at them to go outside and play on a nice day. Whatever happened to organized sports??

(11)
Anonymous,
October 28, 2010 10:45 AM

Dangerous games

The real danger in these games is the ADDICTION itself, which is no less destructive on family life than drugs or alcohol. The only thing that stopped my husband was the very real threat of divorce. This stuff should be regulated or oulawed, as alcohol and drugs are.

(10)
Craig (Chaim),
October 27, 2010 8:14 PM

What nudity and bad language? Where did you get your info?

Rabbi Leiby Burnham,
Okay, I can see that you're concerned about violence and its effect on impressionable minds, but a few things... where did you gather that the Halo games had nudity and bad language? I've played half of them at friends' houses and seen walkthroughs for all of them, and I have never seen or heard either. Sure, plenty of violence, but that's what happens in an interstellar war... (You want something even worse in that regard? Try the first person shooter games in the Unreal series.)
(For the record, I'm into Halo more because I'm a science-fiction fan, and I have all the music soundtracks to them; like Star Wars, they're orchestral scores to science-fiction sagas.)
Personally, I don't buy into the whole "video games make people violent" theory... sure, some people with violent tendencies might be drawn to them, and of course parents and guardians should keep a close eye on what their children do and learn and absorb, but I don't think that such entertainment is a curse or plague which no one is immune to.
Actually, if I really wanted to, I could make religious and Biblical parallels between this game and real life, i.e. the humans are Jews and the alien Covenant are the evil nations of the world who want to kill them. Interestingly, it seems that the people behind the games have put a lot of Biblical nods into the games...
However, we can talk more about this later, if you want.
Sincerely,
Craig (Chaim)

(9)
Rachel,
October 26, 2010 7:40 PM

Balnce is important

My 15-year-old plays way too much; one of the best things about Shabbat is that he can't be online!
On the other hand, as a brain injury patient, I've found that some of these games have helped me regain hand-eye coordination and balance.
So it's not the game itself, but why you're playing that really matters....

(8)
sarA,
October 26, 2010 4:17 AM

Hmmm...

... As were talking about how bad video games are, think about the dangers of the internet, also limit your time on that!

(7)
Yariv,
October 25, 2010 3:53 PM

Last I check the torah had violence, sex, and a slew of other things

We teach our children left and right about violence, sex etc all in a holy way. We make it exciting and exhilirating for the youth when we talk about the plagues in egypt or Joshua conquering the land of israel or even the incestuous acts of Lot. All these action movies and games all come and emanate from the hero character which is the Jewish people. These games I agree do take a lot of time, money and energy while not giving back anything permanent. They can and could always make games that stimulate and drive people towards truth, we just have to encourage it.

(6)
doron,
October 25, 2010 11:30 AM

RE: Anonymous

Hi Anonymous,
I am a man, as you suspected. My kids also play nonstop on those mind numbing games. We have had lots of battles in our home about how much time is spent and what is accomplished and also, what is not. You are right, addiction is addiction. I feel for you and know exactly how you feel. The hard part is that we all have to fall sometimes, just in order to get up. What does the Psalm say? ‘A righteous man falls and gets up 7 times.’ We are all meant to fall, it is the getting up part that counts. If your son is addicted to the game, other areas in his life will suffer. If he is taught what those things are and guided in the right direction, the Yetzer Hora you mentioned becomes a Yetzer Tov! It is hard to parent these days; we just can’t hide from the world and expect to do the job that Hashem put us here to do too.
Doron

(5)
jgarbuz,
October 24, 2010 8:54 PM

Videogames are healthier than movies

As a 64 year old avid video game addict, I find playing video games very good for exercising reflexes and hand/eye coordination. Also, the puzzles can exercise the intellect as well. Studying and reading books, and even watching certain movies can be uplifting and intellectually stimulating. But with video games, you participate and are central to the "action" and the storyline. Some of the stories can be interesting as well. Of course, as with any medium, there are better and worse games. Overall, it can be a vicarious outlet for negative emotions without actually harming anyone, including one's self. I think the brouhaha over video game violence is exaggerated and overstated. I wish some of the more irate critics would actually try a good game hands on for a few hours. As has been stated, violence has been depicted in literature and moving pictures, plays and comics for decades and centuries. However, overall, if kept within proper bounds and constraints, video games are no worse, and even is some ways physically and mentally more therapeutic than some of the others, because of the direct participation involved.

(4)
Anonymous,
October 24, 2010 7:11 PM

unless Doron is a woman, I see that only men have made comments. How about a mother, like myself?
THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DRUG ADDICT AN ALCOHOLIC OR SOMEONE ADDICTED TO VIDEO GAMES. IT IS A YETZER HORA, AND IF A PERSON CANNOT CONTROL HIMSELF IT WILL RUIN HIS LIFE. and YES, SOMEONE WHO SEES KILLING FOR HOURS WILL DO THE SAME IF PUT INTO SUCH A SITUATION. SOMEONE WHO HEARS CURSING ALL DAY WILL START CURSING. SO DO ME A FAVOR. Obviously you did not read the article carefully - there are kids AND adults who pull ALL NIGHTERS to finish these STUPID games. - they dont learn torah, they don't pray, they don't eat, and they CAN'T STOP. Marriages have been destroyed. Families have been destroyed. People lose their jobs. When my son BEGGED me for a PSP I said NO and held my ground for years. But he got o ne as a gift and now spends HOURS and HOURS playing. Does he learn torah? No Does he remember to GO to shul to daven mincha? NO so nothing you tell me will make me listen to anyone defending these games.
They are WORTHLESS.

(3)
R' Leiby Burnham,
October 24, 2010 4:38 PM

Response to David Komer

Hi David,
Excellent point about the violence in Tanach, and here are two important points in response to your comments.
1. In the tanach, it was adults going out to battle, not children. And even so, after describing one scenario where adults would have to act with violence, the Torah goes out of its way to say the "G-d will give you mercy" which the Sages explain to mean that a person who does violent things would automatically be affected even if they are for good reason, so G-d had to gaurantee the people that if you do them, "I will give you mercy," I will restore your sensitivity. If violent actions for a good reason can desensitize one, how much more so when they have no good reason!
2. Even though games like Halo have missions where you're saving the planet from aliens, androids etc... the majority of the playtime they get is from people having online battles against one another. where people are just shooting as many other people as they can, hoping to be the last person standing in a war arena. That probably is not much of a mitzvah!
Thanks for your comments!

(2)
Doron,
October 24, 2010 3:10 PM

Light Unto the Nations

Watching violence absolutely makes a difference to our psyche and to our souls. The problem is not whether we should we watch it or not, but how do we process the information. Rabbi Yehoshua, when he was left to listen to the Torah of the Sages as a baby, was given an amazing chance to integrate those teachings into his life and eventually the lives that he touched during his time in this world. If he had hid from the world every time something unpleasant or even shocking was presented, he would never have had a chance to share his wisdom with the world. This is the problem with the Shtetle mentality of Ultra orthodoxy today. There is so much wisdom there and it is kept locked up out of personal fear. We were meant to be a light unto the nations, not unto ourselves…

(1)
David Komer,
October 24, 2010 11:25 AM

Violence in Tanach

I'd love to see a top-of-the-line game where the Jewish people, led by Mashiach, fight off the armies of Amalek. It would be educational and fun. Especially in 3D/Virtual (or augmented) Reality.
Tanach is full of violent scenes... sometimes in great graphic detail. There's nothing intrinsically bad about it (just like there's nothing intrinsically bad about plucking a carrot from the ground or slaughtering a cow)- but it depends 100% on the purpose and subtexts.
Respectfully, I'd like to point out a logical flaw in Rabbi Burnham's article. Those fleeing to a city of refuge made a mistake- they did something bad. Hearing random cursing as a vent for frustration is also a bad thing. Fighting evil people (or aliens, monsters, etc.) who are determined to kill innocent people, on the other hand- is an admirable, good thing- a mitzvah. The differences here should not be confused.

I've been striving to get more into spirituality. But it seems that every time I make some progress, I find myself slipping right back to where I started. I'm getting discouraged and feel like a failure. Can you help?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Spiritual slumps are a natural part of spiritual growth. There is a cycle that people go through when at times they feel closer to God and at times more distant. In the words of the Kabbalists, it is "two steps forward and one step back." So although you feel you are slipping, know that this is a natural process. The main thing is to look at your overall progress (over months or years) and be able to see how far you've come!

This is actually God's ingenious way of motivating us further. The sages compare this to teaching a baby how to walk. When the parent is holding on, the baby shrieks with delight and is under the illusion that he knows how to walk. Yet suddenly, when the parent lets go, the child panics, wobbles and may even fall.

At such times when we feel spiritually "down," that is often because God is letting go, giving us the great gift of independence. In some ways, these are the times when we can actually grow the most. For if we can move ourselves just a little bit forward, we truly acquire a level of sanctity that is ours forever.

Here is a practical tool to help pull you out of the doldrums. The Sefer HaChinuch speaks about a great principle in spiritual growth: "The external awakens the internal." This means that although we may not experience immediate feelings of closeness to God, eventually, by continuing to conduct ourselves in such a manner, this physical behavior will have an impact on our spiritual selves and will help us succeed. (A similar idea is discussed by psychologists who say: "Smile and you will feel happy.")

That is the power of Torah commandments. Even if we may not feel like giving charity or praying at this particular moment, by having a "mitzvah" obligation to do so, we are in a framework to become inspired. At that point we can infuse that act of charity or prayer with all the meaning and lift it can provide. But if we'd wait until being inspired, we might be waiting a very long time.

May the Almighty bless you with the clarity to see your progress, and may you do so with joy.

In 1940, a boatload 1,600 Jewish immigrants fleeing Hitler's ovens was denied entry into the port of Haifa; the British deported them to the island of Mauritius. At the time, the British had acceded to Arab demands and restricted Jewish immigration into Palestine. The urgent plight of European Jewry generated an "illegal" immigration movement, but the British were vigilant in denying entry. Some ships, such as the Struma, sunk and their hundreds of passengers killed.

If you seize too much, you are left with nothing. If you take less, you may retain it (Rosh Hashanah 4b).

Sometimes our appetites are insatiable; more accurately, we act as though they were insatiable. The Midrash states that a person may never be satisfied. "If he has one hundred, he wants two hundred. If he gets two hundred, he wants four hundred" (Koheles Rabbah 1:34). How often have we seen people whose insatiable desire for material wealth resulted in their losing everything, much like the gambler whose constant urge to win results in total loss.

People's bodies are finite, and their actual needs are limited. The endless pursuit for more wealth than they can use is nothing more than an elusive belief that they can live forever (Psalms 49:10).

The one part of us which is indeed infinite is our neshamah (soul), which, being of Divine origin, can crave and achieve infinity and eternity, and such craving is characteristic of spiritual growth.

How strange that we tend to give the body much more than it can possibly handle, and the neshamah so much less than it needs!